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Geysers, Hot Springs, and Bubbling Mud Pots, Oh My!

Quick Details

  • Duration: 8-10 hours
  • Start Time: Varies by pickup location - See drop down menu below for specifics
  • Meeting Locations: Gardiner, MT; Mammoth Hot Springs; Norris Geyser Basin; Madison Junction; Old Faithful Visitor Education Center
  • Alternative Meeting Locations: Sage Lodge or Chico Hot Springs (extra $150)
  • Ages: Ages 5+
  • Activity Level: East to Moderate based on your interests and abilities

Tour Highlights:

  • Experience the wonders of Yellowstone’s iconic hydrothermal features, explore the geology that has shaped the ecosystem, and enjoy landscapes sculpted by both fire & ice
  • Your own local naturalist guide
  • Private and customizable tour – just your group!
  • Activity level based on your interests and abilities
  • High quality optics for all
  • Breakfast and lunch – picnic style
  • Safe, fun and educational
2024 Rates
1 person
$1,100
2 people
$1,100
3 people
$1,150
4 people
$1,200
5 people
$1,250
6 people
$1,300
7 people
$1,350
8 people
$1,400
9 people
$1,450
10 people
$1,500

Explore the best of the Yellowstone Volcano, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, with a local expert guide. Yellowstone has more than 200 active geysers and over 10,000 thermal features; there is so much to explore! We will show you our favorite geysers, colorful springs and bubbling mud pots, and some local secrets along the way. This tour will be crafted around your interests and abilities and can include a longer hike to some off-the-beaten-path features as well! You will see all of these amazing features and begin to understand how and why Yellowstone is such a hotspot for them.

This day will take us down the west side of the park as we explore and unravel the mysteries of the awe-inspiring geological and thermal features for which Yellowstone drew national attention to become the world’s first National Park in 1872.

A major focus of this tour is an eruption of the world’s most famous geyser, Old Faithful. This remarkable feature, named in 1871 prior to the establishment of Yellowstone, has remained reliably “faithful” in its eruptions, and continues to awe visitors with its incredible raw power and predictable behavior. In the area surrounding Old Faithful, we can hike through a huge concentration of colorful, active pools that are home to their own fascinating ecosystems, as well as potentially witness eruptions of other spouting geysers with names like Beehive, Castle, Grand, Lion, Grotto, and Riverside!

Throughout the day, your guide will be sharing the fascinating and complex ways in which volcanism, glacial periods, plate tectonics, and hydrology have shaped the landscape and laid the foundation for the ecology and wildlife we see in and around Yellowstone today.

Stops may include:

  • Old Faithful – Yellowstone’s most iconic feature and the world’s most famous geyser!
  • Grand Prismatic – A dramatic rainbow of colors that make up the world’s 3rd largest hot spring, and perhaps a short hike to a scenic overview allowing for an aerial view of this thermal jewel.
  • Artist Paint Pots – Fascinating pools of bubbling mud
  • Fountain Paint Pot– All four types of thermal features found in the world are concentrated along one short ½-mile boardwalk.
  • Gibbon Falls – Gibbon River cascades 88’over the edge of the caldera left by Yellowstone’s most recent major volcanic eruption – roughly 640,000 years ago.
  • Norris Geyser Basin – An otherworldly landscape of porcelain pools and hissing steam home to the unpredictable Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world!
  • Mammoth Hot Springs – Ethereal and pristine chalky-white travertine terraces that are constantly growing and shifting–sometimes from one day to the next!

Still have questions?  Check out our FAQ’s page!

See what other guests are saying!

We had an absolutely fantastic tour!

We had an absolutely fantastic tour that focused on the hot springs and Old Faithful. Our guide, Leysa, was knowledgeable, fun and totally tolerant of the 4 of us “old fogies” and she made an excellent cup of coffee. It’s the perfect way to see the park and not have to worry about driving yourself.

– Mary Schwarz, Google Reviews
The Perfect Yellowstone Experience

A tour with Yellowstone Wild is the perfect way to spend a day in Yellowstone. My wife and I have been on three separate tours with Yellowstone Wild, and each has been more spectacular than the last. The guides are friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable, and they will greatly enhance your experience in the park by sharing their expertise. These tours can also be tailored to your interests and your desired level of activity, so you can be sure that you will be completely satisfied by your time in the park. I give Yellowstone Wild my highest recommendation and strongly encourage anyone interested in exploring Yellowstone to book a tour with them. You will not be disappointed!

– Kyle S., TripAdvisor